Christianity arrived in Egypt very early. In 45 AD, Saint Mark gained his first convert in Alexandria, and within a few centuries, the majority of the population had converted. It was a period of rapid growth but also much pain since numerous Roman emperors persecuted the faithful and killed many of them. The Egyptian Christians became known as Copts, a word which is an adaptation of the Greek term for the indigenous people of Egypt, “Aigýptios”. The Copts consider themselves purer descendants of the ancient Egyptians. Their version of Christianity differs from the Greek Orthodox and the Roman Catholic church in matters of doctrine and ritual. The service is conducted in Arabic, but portions are also sung in the old Coptic language that descends from ancient Egyptian.